Learning to Breathe
by Rebekah Caren
Summary: Karen Vick thought everything was going fine. In a few days she would have her baby and they would be one big, happy family. How wrong could a person get? This story is completely unlikely, but please R&R, even if to tell me you hate it.
1. Chapter 1

**Yep, I'm back. With a new story. In a new topic. I just can't seem to finish anything. Ah, well. I've never tried writing _Psych _fiction, but Karen and Carlton are my favorite pairing, however unlikely they are. Anyway, this story is way beyond believable, but if anyone isreading it, please review. **

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**I don't own _Psych_, because Santa said no. **

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I felt like slamming my head against the dashboard, whether Carlton saw it or not. How could I not have seen it? Tears sprung to my eyes as my husband of seven years continued saying the thing I had feared the most.

"I want a divorce, Karen," he said, his normally warm and kind voice suddenly icy and hard.

"What about the baby, David?" I choked out. I could feel Carlton's eyes darting at me. I pressed my earpiece further into my ear.

"We'll share custody," David said simply. I rolled my eyes.

"That won't work and you know it. You know I'm going to breast feed," I said, new tears stinging my eyes.

"Then when the baby gets old enough, I'll take her every other weekend," he said.

"What happened David? I'm not going to even attempt to fix this, because I can see now that it's been a long time coming, but what was the straw that broke the camel's back?" I asked, looking over at Carlton's concerned face.

"You've been working late and hard, and, honestly? I'm not ready for a baby," David said. Suddenly, it started.

"Ah," I nearly screamed as the cramp rippled through me. Carlton whipped his head around to me.

"What's wrong Chief?" he asked, worried.

"Karen?" David asked over the earpiece.

"Carlton, I'm having contractions," I said, then felt wet trickling down my leg. "And my water just broke." I hung up on David and ripped the earpiece out.

"Can you, um, move my case?" Carlton asked, now driving well over the speed limit.

"Detective, I am going into labor, and you are worried about a brief case?" I asked as another contraction shot through me. He mumbled something, his long pale fingers tightening over the steering wheel. "Get me to a hospital!"

"Yes, ma'am!" he said, putting his lights on top of the car.

* * *

Hours later, I was in a hospital bed. Carlton stood awkwardly by my side as we waited for the doctor.

"So, do you want me to call your husband?" he asked. I thought for a second.

"No, Carlton. Thank you though," I felt the tears returning to my eyes. Another contraction hit. Carlton offered his hand and I squeezed it until the contraction was over. But I didn't drop his hand. His fingers were long and pale, his palms rough. Our hands fit seamlessly.

"They're getting closer together," he remarked. I nodded. "What happened with your husband?"

"He, he wants a divorce because he isn't ready for a child. And because he's got a girlfriend," I said, bitter tears starting to form.

"What?" Carlton asked, surprised. I nodded.

"Well, he didn't confess to the girlfriend part. But I should have seen this coming. He's been taking clothes, suit by suit, out of the house. I've been either to busy or tired to notice until now. I'm assuming he's been taking them to a woman's house, because when he would come home late, he smelt unbearably of Axe, like he was trying to cover something," I said, squeezing Carlton's hand again.

"Well, you're not the Chief for nothing," he said, running his thumb over the back of my hand. He checked his watch. "The contractions are two minutes apart now."

"Thank God. I've been in labor for hours," I said, letting him brush the damp hair out of my face.

"Almost five," he said. The door swung open, and the doctor walked in.

"Good news, Karen, it is time to try pushing. Now are you sure about not having the Epidural?" Doctor Randal asked, and I nodded.

"I'm gonna do this naturally," I said. Carlton squeezed my hand.

"Are you sure? It's gonna hurt like hel-" he started. I shot him a dirty look. "I admire you for your decision."

"Okay. When I count to three, I want you to push as hard as you can. One, two, three!" She said, and I pushed as hard as I could, gripping Carlton's hand so tight I was sure I cut off his circulation.

"Okay, one, two, three, push!" I pushed again, some how harder. Carlton's free hand was on my neck, absently tracing patterns as he held on to my hand.

"The baby's crowning! I see it's head…," the doctor said. I pushed harder. "It's coming!" A cry filled the room. I almost collapsed in exhaustion.

"It's a girl," Doctor Randal said. I smiled, and almost laughed for the first time in hours.

"Do you want to cut the cord, Dad?" she asked, and I realized she was talking to Carlton. He hesitated, then took the scissors and severed the last connection between my daughter and myself. They cleaned the baby, then placed her in Carlton's cradled arms. She fit so naturally in his arms, like she belonged there. He cooed at her.

"That's fantastic, Carlton. Do you think I can hold my baby now?" I asked, holding out my arms.

"Oh, yeah," he said, handing her to me. She was beautiful. She had a head full of dark hair, just like David, but her eyes were deep brown. She had my nose.

"She is gorgeous, Chief," Carlton said, sitting beside me, lightly placing his hand atop mine.

"Now that we've been though this together, I think you can call me Karen," I said, lacing my fingers with his.

"What is her name?" he asked, tracing the edge of the baby's face.

"Iris. Iris Charlotte Vick," I said, kissing the top of her head. Carlton ran a hand through his black hair. I noticed he was starting to get specks of silver. He wasn't that much older than me, only two years. Why had I waited so long to have a child? That's right, because David's practice was just getting started, and a new lawyer "didn't have time for dirty diapers".

Iris stretched, yawning.

"I have no idea what I'm getting into," I said.


	2. Chapter 2

**I have such a migraine, it hurts to think. It also hurts to look at this screen, so I'm gonna keep this short. Once again, I barely know what I'm talking about here, so bear with me and/or correct me. Constructive criticism is necessary. Please continue to read and review.**

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**I don't own _Psych_, though I wish I owned Tim.**

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I walked down the hall, towards the nursery. I wasn't supposed to be out of bed, but I wanted to see Iris. And, oddly, Carlton. In the short time we had spent together today, I had become accustomed to his presence. As I turned the corner, I saw Carlton, O'Hara, Guster, and, God help us all, Spencer.

"You were in the room and cut the cord, but you can't find the baby?" Spencer said, amusement in his voice. I walked up behind them, up to the glass.

"Can't you tell? She is that one. Looks just like me," I said half waving towards her.

"Chief, shouldn't you be in bed, resting?" Juliet asked. I smiled.

"Resting? Detective, I'm coming into work tomorrow," I said, standing next to Carlton, touching the tips of my fingers to his, wishing for some kind of contact. To my surprise, he didn't pull away, but twisted his fingers with mine. He smiled. His hand was warm and slightly larger than mine.

"You need to get back to your room. The nurse said she would bring Iris in a little while so you could try feeding her," Carlton said to me as everyone said their goodbyes and left. We were left there in the hall, hands clasped. Suddenly, he dropped my hand and placed his on my lower back, guiding me toward my hospital room.

"By the way, your husband is here," Carlton said. I hit his arm.

"I told you not to call him!" I said, tears forming in the corners of my eyes.

"Well, Iris is his child, even if he doesn't want her. The nurse should be here in a minute. I'll go sit in the waiting room," Carlton said, turning to leave. I caught his wrist.

"You don't have to stay, Carlton," I said, a tiny part of me begging him to stay.

"I'm staying, Karen," he said, then opened the door for me. I walked into my room as he disappeared down the hall.

David sat in the rocking chair that Carlton had occupied earlier.

"Hi," I said as I climb back into bed, pulling the blanket over myself.

"Where is she?" he asked, barely looking up.

"The nurse is bringing her in a minute. Are you sure you even want to see her?" I asked, bitterness dripping through my words. David sighed.

"Yes, I want to see her. This isn't about her, though. You said yourself that this has been a long time coming," David said, straightening up as the nurse came in, pushing the clear cradle holding my sweet Iris.

"You ready to try breast feeding?" the nurse asked, and I nodded, holding my arms out for my baby.

"She might not latch the first time, but you'll both get the hang of it," she said, handing me Iris. I unsnapped the left side of my gown, placing Iris carefully against my breast. She almost imediatly latched.

"She latched! David!" I said excitedly. The nurse chuckled.

"I'll come back for her later, unless you want to keep her tonight," the nurse said. I nodded. She gave one last smile before leaving. I turned to David.

"So, I'm guessing you'll be leaving the house soon?" I questioned. He nodded.

"I was gonna do it tonight," he admitted. I nodded.

"Okay," I said. He frowned.

"Look, Karen, I loved you," he said. He started to say more, but I cut him off.

"But you met someone else, right?" I asked. He nodded. I felt my heart drop, and my eyes started to water.

"I don't want to keep you from happiness," I said, and we lapsed back into silence. After a few minutes I spoke again.

"Do you wanna hold her?" I asked quietly. He nodded. I gently lifted her, and wiped excess milk off of her mouth with my gown, then snapped it back. I kissed her forehead, then placed her in David's cradled arms. The first thing I thought was how awkward he looked holding her. Carlton had held her so easily. Carlton…

David speaking snapped me out of my thoughts.

"She's beautiful. She's like a mini you," he said. I shook my head.

"She has your hair," I said. He chuckled.

"You used to have dark hair, too, Karen," he said. Iris started stirring in his arms. He bounced her gently, calming her down. He dug around in his case with one hand before pulling out some papers. After handing them to me, he produced a pen. "Here are the divorce papers. I don't want to make any thing difficult. You keep everything, we split the bank account. When she gets old enough, I'll take Iris every other weekend," he said, watching as I scrawled my signature. As I finished signing the papers, holding back tears, Iris began bawling. Setting the papers on the edge of the hospital bed, I took her from him. I softly sang a song my mother had sung my sister and I when we cried as children.

"I love you Iris, oh yes I do. I don't love anyone, like I love you. When you're not with me, I'm blue. Oh, Iris, I love you," I sang, unaware that Carlton had stepped in, and David had stepped out. Carlton pulled the chair next to me and took my hand. When he did, I leaned on him and let it all out.

He held my hand and rubbed circles on my back with his other. It was an odd embrace, with Iris snuggled between us.

"I'm here for you, Karen," he whispered. I leaned back, studying his tear soaked shirt, his black and silver specked hair, pale skin against the fluorescents. I felt a strong pull in my gut at the thought of him leaving.

"Carlton, this is completely selfish, because I know you are going through the same thing, but, would you mind staying?" I asked sheepishly, feeling red rising to my wet cheeks. To my surprise, he nodded. A few moments went by in comfortable silence.

"She really is beautiful. She looks just like you," Carlton said. I gave him a half smile.

"Are you calling me beautiful, Detective Lassiter?" I asked, grinning at his slight blush.

"Maybe I am," he said. I scooted over to make room for him on the small bed. I patted the space. He shook his head.

"Carlton, I'm not letting you sleep in a chair," I said, then patted the bed again. This time, he stood up, kicked off his shoes, and lay next to me on top of the covers.

With Iris fast asleep between us, I fell asleep with my hand in Carlton's.


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry for the lag in updating, my family recently got some really terrible news. I'm not gonna go into it, but please keep my family and I in your thoughts and prayers. Anyway, on to the story.  
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******I don't own **_**Pysch.**_** Hench the fan fiction.**

_***New changes made to this chapter***_

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**~Six Months Later~**

Time had flown by me after Iris was born. I was back in work, my mother watching Iris, and almost divorced. David was long moved out of the house, taking nothing but clothes and few other belongings. He and his new fiancée were getting married as soon as our divorce was settled. He met me to spend time with Iris every couple of weekends. It was hard to believe how fast she was growing. She had been so tiny when Carlton first placed her in my arms. Carlton had looked so... so... natural. Holding my baby, cutting the cord, cooing at her, it had all just came to him. And then he stayed with me. All night.  
A knock startled me from my thoughts. Buzz McNabb peeked his head around the door. Almost all of the station's lights are off. My watch says it's a quarter till nine. Shit. My mother was only supposed to keep Iris until six.  
"Yes, Buzz?" I asked, standing and collecting the paperwork that had so absorbed me. He shuffled his feet around in the door way.  
"I was just wondering if you'd like me to walk you out to your car, Chief," he said, opening the door all the way. I smiled at his awkwardness, remembering how awkward I had been when I was a uniform.  
"Yes, please," I said, walking out of my office behind him. We walked out of the station silently, nodding to the officers on night duty. After we were out of the station and into the parking lot, Buzz began to chatter about various things. Something about his wedding, and his dancing improving.  
"How's Iris?" he asked, stuffing his hands into his pocket to shield them from the cool wind.  
"She's good, or as good as a six-month-old can be. She's making little sounds, grabbing at toys, and rolling over and kicking around when she's on her stomach. She sleeps mostly through the night, but it's nothing I can't handle," I said, pulling my jacket around me. We continued through the parking lot to my car. McNabb seemed like he had something to say.  
"Penny for your thoughts, Buzz?" I asked, leaning against my car. He shuffled his feet around like he had in the station. "Come on, McNabb, I have a baby waiting at home."  
"I just heard that you and your husband split up," he said almost inaudibly. I smiled semi-bitterly.  
"Yes, we did. And he is now happily engaged," I said, unlocking my door.  
"I'm sorry, Chief," he said, opening my door for me. "If there is anything you need, call me. Drive safe, Chief." I nodded and got in my car.

* * *

"I'm sorry, Mom," I said quietly as I walked into my bedroom, where my mother sat in the rocking chair by Iris's crib. She nodded.  
"I understand, Karen. In all of this stress, you need to focus on other things. Next time, please call me if you're going to be late," she whispered back, slowly standing and opening her arms to me. I nearly ran into them.  
"Thank you so much, Mom. I don't think I could handle all of this with out you," I whispered into her gray streaked hair. She embraced me tighter, kissing my forehead.  
"Sure you would, baby. That man, what's his name? The one who took you to the hospital?" she asked, loosing her grip on me and wiping tears I didn't know I had out of my eyes.  
"Carlton," I said, his name spreading warmth through me just thinking about him and his eyes. My mother nodded.  
"He would take care of you and Iris in a heart beat. He stayed with you in the hospital, right?" she asked again. I nodded.  
"And put in the car seat, drove us home, got me dinner, and stayed until Iris was down for the night," I said, realizing how much Carlton truly had done for me. My mother smiled.  
"Get some sleep, sweetheart. I'll be back over here at eight in the morning," she kissed my forehead again. "I'll lock the door behind me, I love you."  
"I love you, too, Momma," I said, waiting to hear the front door's lock click downstairs. When it did, I crossed to Iris's crib, and gently picked her up. I positioned several pillows around one edge of my bed, then another two with enough space between them for Iris to lie. I laid her down, and quickly changed into an oversized t-shirt. I moved to the other side of my bed, slipping under the covers. Iris stirred, but she didn't wake. I kissed her smooth forehead, wishing I had someone to share moments like this with. The first person to pop into my mind is Carlton Lassiter. He had been so easy with Iris, and he had even changed a diaper the night I was released from the hospital. I smiled remembering it. How he had cooed to her while he changed her. Hell, he didn't even seem uncomfortable with me breastfeeding. In fact, he had kept a conversation up about a cold case he thought he had a lead on.  
"I think I have a little crush on Detective Lassiter, Iris," I whisper to her. She yawns in her sleep. I can't help but to stifle a laugh.  
I drift to sleep thinking of those startling blue eyes.

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The next morning, I could hear my mother rustling around in the kitchen. My alarm clock said it's seven- thirty. I dragged myself out of bed and threw on a pair of jogging shorts. Iris cries, just as she had last night. I picked her up, singing softly to her until her cries stop. Then I changed her diaper, and put her in a clean onesie.  
"Come on, sweetie. Let's go see Grandma!" I said, smiling. She made a gurgly, happy baby sound. I started down the stairs with her, and carried her into the kitchen, where my mother had made pancakes, her signature Friday breakfast. Iris made more baby sounds as my mom took her out of my arms. She made her way into the living room, where all of Iris's toys were. I fixed two plates of pancakes, grabbed the syrup bottle, and some how balanced them on my way to the couch.  
Iris was on her stomach, kicking and mashing buttons on a piano mat thing. My mother took a plate from me, and I sat mine on the end table of the couch. I picked Iris up and placed her in her bouncer. I picked at my pancakes until eight. Then I got dressed for work.  
"Is there enough milk in the freezer, Mom?" I asked for the fifth morning in a row. She rolled her eyes.  
"Yes, Karen, there is enough milk in the freezer. Now scoot before you're late," she said, pecking my cheek. I kissed Iris's forehead, then started out on my thirty minute drive to work.

* * *

"Mr. Spencer! I do not have you on a case, so get the hell out of this police station," I said as I passed by O'Hara's desk on my way to get what little coffee I'm allowed for the day. I should probably save it, but it's only one o'clock and I've fell asleep at my desk twice.  
"But, Chief! The spirits are telling me of a murder plot!" Spencer said, following me. I roll my eyes.  
"If you don't get out of this station until I call you, you just might join the 'spirits'," I said as he backed off.  
Carlton was at the coffee pot. He filled my cup, and then passed me two creams and a sugar packet.  
"Thanks," I said, stirring my coffee. He studied my face for a moment.  
"Have you eaten yet?" he asked, slugging the rest of his coffee back. I laugh.  
"No, I've been stuck between paperwork and Spencer," I said, feeling my stomach rumble.  
"Wanna go get something to eat?" he offered. I nodded. "I'll drive."

* * *

Carlton Lassiter sat in front of me laughing. We were talking about everything, from Iris to gas prices to the Civil War. We had decided on Subway, and I was enjoying his company.  
"So, do you think I could come see Iris sometime?" he asked, eating his chips.  
"Sure," I said, thinking of Carlton at my house. The idea was readily welcome. He smiled. We threw our trash away, and walked out to his car. We chattered on the way back to the station.  
When we got out and started walking up to the station doors, he smiled at me.  
"How's this afternoon?" he asked. I smiled back.  
"Perfect," I said. He started into the station doors.  
"It's a date."


	4. Chapter 4

**It is one am here. I have to get up at five. So it makes perfect sense that I'm typing this. Pshka, who needs sleep? Any way, pray for my Momma, who starts chemotherapy today. Keep me in your thoughts. On to the story! P.S. italics are Carlton's messages, bold are Karen's.**

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**Disclaimer: If I owned **_**Psych**_**, would I be here? Think about it.**

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I left the station early. Wrong, yes. But I wasn't getting any work done. Even worse. Why? Because I was thinking of Carlton. Which makes it inconceivably wrong that I left early. But every time that man would glance up at me, he made me want to drag him by what ever I could to my office, drop the blinds and lock the door.  
After thinking that about twenty-thousand times, I was on fire. So at four-thirty, I couldn't stand it anymore. I closed the cold case files I was glancing over, and walked out of the station into the cool late January air. I felt almost immediately better. Still thinking about Carlton, but better.  
I found myself at home, not really remembering getting into my car, much less driving home. I got out, and started toward the front door. I pulled my phone from my purse, checking a message as I walked up the path. My heart started pounding. It was from Carlton.

_Are you okay?_

I quickly typed out a reply.

**Yeah. I just had to take care of a few things.**

I walked into the living room, where my mother was lying in the floor on her back with Iris on her stomach, both of them laughing. I kicked my shoes off, joining my mom on the floor. I mussed Iris' rapidly lightening curls.  
"What's so funny, huh?" I cooed. She laughed more. Mom put Iris between us and rolled to face me.  
"Why are you home so early, Karen?" she asked, holding a rattle out to Iris. I just grinned as my phone vibrated. I pulled it out, the rapid heart beat returning as I opened the new message from Carlton.

_Are we still on for tonight?_

"You look happier than a kid with a pocketful of nickels in a candy shop. Who are you talking to?" my mother asked, making an attempt to grab my phone. I rolled away, laughing, and sent Carlton a reply.

**Yes, Carlton. You still need to haul your ass up here.**

Note to self; don't talk about his ass when he gets here. No matter how much you want to.  
"Who are you talking to, Karen?" Mom demanded again. I grinned at her, standing up and scooping a giggling Iris up. I danced with her around the living room.  
"Fine, nosy. Carlton," I said, putting Iris in her bouncer. My mom grinned.  
"I knew it. He is a very good man, not to mention good looking," she said, winking at me. I rolled my eyes, and then said something that shattered my thoughts from the past three months.  
"He's married, Momma," I said, dropping next to her on the couch. She hugged me for a second.  
"Not for long," she said.  
After a few silent moments, she stood up to leave.  
"I made chicken, salad, and some biscuits. There is an apple pie in the refrigerator and ice cream in the freezer," she said, kissing Iris' head before leaving. I picked Iris up and took her upstairs. I changed her diaper and onesie, and then changed out of my suit into comfortable jeans and a SBPD shirt. My phone buzzed twice from where I tossed it on my bed. I crawled across the king sized mess of covers to retrieve my phone, blowing a raspberry on Iris' stomach when I did. I was silently hoping the messages were from Carlton. I wasn't disappointed.

_Luckily for you, my ass tends to go where I do._

I laughed, checking the next message.

_Your mom is really nice._

That threw me off. My mom? He never met my mom. I text him back.

**Where are you? **

_In your drive way._

I picked up Iris, and moved to look out the window. Sure enough, Carlton, and his ass, was standing in my drive way. I rushed down the stairs, trying to calm down.  
'He is here to see Iris,' part of me said, but one other part said that he was here because he liked me. My third part said I just needed to calm the hell down and answer the door.  
"Hi," I said, opening the door and looking up into Carlton's beautiful, deep, blue eyes. He smiled at me, and held his arms out to Iris. She looked up at me, and then reached toward him. He took her, bouncing her, and stepped inside.  
"Hi," he said, following me to the living room. He kicked off his shoes, sitting with Iris amidst the sea of her toys. I walked in to the kitchen, and took the chicken my mother mentioned out of the oven. Then I joined Carlton and Iris in the living room floor.

* * *

After dinner (which Iris napped through), Carlton, Iris, and I settled on the couch, watching a re-run of _Friends_.  
"Man, I miss this show," Carlton said. I grinned.  
"I used to love it, but when the series ended, eh…" I said, and Iris started crying. Carlton laughed. "She's probably hungry. Do you mind?" He shook his head. I picked her up, grabbed a blanket, and adjusted the blanket over myself. I placed Iris against my breast under the blanket. Carlton didn't look even a little uncomfortable. He carried a conversation about shows that he missed, and asked which ones I missed, and which bands I liked growing up.  
When Iris was finished eating, I fixed myself, then burped her. Carlton and I continued talking about our childhoods, gradually gravitating to the center of the couch.  
"I really used to love Prince," I said, leaning in hopefully.  
"I liked Pink Floyd," Carlton admitted, leaning forward. Just as I felt his warm breath against my lips, the phone rang. We just sat there, lips centimeters apart.  
"I should get that," I whispered.  
"Yeah," he whispered.  
"Can you watch her while I get it?" I asked. He nodded. I passed my sleeping child to him, and practically ran to the phone.  
"Who ever the hell this is, it better be good," I said bitterly. It was O'Hara.  
"They found the bodies of three middle age women, no hands, and no teeth, covered in leaves by a river. We need you at the station," she said, sounding tired. "Oh, and can you call Carlton? He won't answer my calls." We said our good byes and hung up. I returned to the living room, painfully aware at what had almost happened moments ago. Carlton looked up at me.  
"Triple homicide. No hands or teeth. We need to get to the station," I said.  
"Great," he mumbled.  
"I'll call my mom and meet you at the station," I said, wishing we didn't have to go.  
"Okay. Thank you for dinner," he said, putting Iris in her bouncer and slipping his shoes on. He stood and walked to the door. I followed him.  
"Goodnight," I said, hugging him. He hugged me back, tighter. I never wanted to let him go.  
"Goodnight," he said, and then did something I hadn't expected. He kissed my forehead. I felt like melting when he left. When my mom got there to watch Iris, I drove in a daze to the station. When I saw him, I felt like a puddle. We didn't mention anything about the night.  
Funny how something so simple can leave you craving more.


	5. Chapter 5

**Another installment of a pairing almost nobody likes. Ah, well. I like it. I also just watched the season seven premiere. _Awesome! _I can't wait until next week. Anywho, read and review.**

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**Disclaimer: If I owned _Psych _I would be eating lunch with Tim on a cruise around Italy, not hurting my back hunched over a computer.**

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"We have three white women in their mid-thirties found half-naked beside a river, covered in leaves. Their hands and teeth have been removed, and apparently taken with the killer. The three's Id's were, however, on the scene, only feet away from the bloodstained sandbar," Carlton said, motioning to the screen as he pressed a button the projector. "These are recent pictures of the women. We have Virginia Simmons, Ariana Wager, and Emily Sceney." He pressed the projector again. "The only piece of evidence found at the scene was a size eleven men's boot print. I know you all hate working a Saturday, but suck it up and get to work. It's two, and I've been here since nine last night." He cut the projector off. The crowd dispersed, leaving Carlton and Juliet standing in front of my office. I stood up from where I had been leaning on the door frame of my office.  
"Lassiter, O'Hara, my office, now," I said, turning and walking to my desk, where I perched on the edge. They followed behind me. "Close the door."  
"What's up, Chief?" Juliet asked, placing her hands on the back of a chair. Carlton shut the door and strode up behind the other chair.  
"What other information do you have on this case?" I asked. Carlton shuffled his feet.  
"Simmons and Sceney were long time roommates. Wager was a co-worker they met at their job waitressing a local diner downtown, who stayed with them the past few months. All three women were strangled with what appears to be electrical ties," O'Hara said. Carlton looked like he was about to fall over.  
"Thank you, Detective," I said, and she and Carlton turned to leave. "Not you, Lassiter. I want a word." Juliet left, and Carlton sat down. "I enjoyed last night, Carlton."  
"I did, too. Iris is getting big," he said, rubbing at the dark circles under his eyes, which probably matched mine.  
"She likes you. Even at six months old, she already has good taste," I said, feeling my cheeks redden. He smiled.  
"Or she's already heading on a downward spiral," Carlton said, glancing around everywhere but me.  
"No. Don't do that," I said, my tone forcing his eyes up to meet mine.  
"Do what?" he asked, keeping his tired gaze on me.  
"Put yourself down like that. You are an amazing, caring, wonderful man, and one damn good cop. I personally don't understand what is wrong with your wife, or why she would ever think you didn't want kids. You have been there for me and Iris, time and time again, from the moment she was born. You changed a diaper, installed a car seat, uninstalled a car seat, and then reinstalled the same car seat. You, Carlton Lassiter, are the whole package, and if I haven't freaked you out too much, would you like to go get some coffee?"

* * *

I glanced out of my ever so slightly adjusted blinds to see Carlton slugging back the remnant of his venti. He worked feverishly on this case, determined to wrap it up before Spencer managed to poke his head into it. His suit jacket was thrown over the back of his chair, and his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, long lean fingers flipping through files. I couldn't help but think how attractive he looked.  
Fanning my suddenly warm neck and face, I closed the quarterly report I was working on and opened my door.  
"Lassiter," I said, and walked back to my desk. He walked in, closing the door behind himself, and sat in front of me. "Any breaks in the case?"  
"Well, O'Hara and I think it was Wager's jealous boyfriend, Jarrod Walters, or Simmons' ex-girlfriend Kaitlyn Howell. We found out that Simmons' broke up with Howell for Sceney, which is motive. Walters, however, didn't like the fact that Wager was living with them. Both of them are down in interrogation, along with a few waitresses from the diner," he said. I nodded.  
"Carlton, this may be wildly inappropriate, but what are you doing for dinner tonight?" I asked, doodling on a legal pad.  
"That depends," he said. I looked up.  
"On what, Carlton?" I asked, lying my pen down. He grinned.  
"On what you're doing," he stated. I felt the blush rising to my face.  
"_You_," I thought. Instead, I said something that wouldn't make him leave a Lassiter shaped hole in my wall.  
"It's a date."

* * *

At ten-thirty, Carlton and I were on my couch, with a sleeping Iris between us. He was so good with her. He watched her while I took a quick shower. He fed her a bottle. He even changed a few diapers. Carlton Lassiter truly was the whole package. We sat in comfortable silence after talking about everything and nothing.  
"I should probably put her to bed," I said quietly, watching him pick my baby up and cradle her. He stood up.  
"Lead the way," he said, motioning with his free hand. Without thinking, I grasped his hand and stood. I silently led him up the stairs and to my bedroom.  
"Please excuse the mess," I said. My bed looked like a huge nest.  
"Oh, please," Carlton said, lying Iris in her crib. "Mine looks worse than this, and you have a child."  
"Thank you, by the way, for everything you've done for us, Carlton. You did more than you should have," I said, moving closer to him. We both silently watch Iris for a moment.  
"I wanted to help. You and Iris are just like magnets. You're fantastic with her," he said. I laughed bitterly  
"I feel like a terrible mother. I'm always working, and when she gets older and her dad comes around every two weeks to take her away for a fantastic weekend with late nights and ice cream, I'm gonna be the nagging bitch that makes her eat her vegetables and clean her room and do her homework," I said, feeling awkward unloading this on him. Surprisingly, I felt his arms wrap around me, and his lips touch my head.  
"You are a fan-damn-tastic mother, and no matter what her stupid father does she'll always love you. She'd be crazy not to," he said, tilting my head up from his chest, where I had unconsciously snuggled. "Anyone would be crazy not to."  
I'm not sure who leant forward, but soon I was standing on my tip toes, clutching around his shoulders for dear life as our lips met. I also wasn't sure where my mouth ended and his began, but I did know one, irrevocable thing.  
I was his.  
Maybe not today, tomorrow, or even next week.  
But someday. Hopefully soon.


	6. Chapter 6

**So, new chapter before the new episode. Well, kinda anyways. This chapter slips into T-ish territory. I was gonna do some M-ish smoosh, but then I realized I suck at it and I'm sleep deprived.**

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**Disclaimer: If I owned **_**Psych**_**, I would be writing the new episode into a Karlton or a Lassiet. Not screwing up my eyes by typing in the dark.**

* * *

I was straddling him on my bed before I ran out of breath. And then he came around with his damn sensibility and honorability.  
"You know we can't," Carlton said, gently trying to push me off of him. I stayed anchored to his lap.

"And why the hell not?" I asked, still a little out of breath. My hands stayed interlocked around his shoulders. He sighed and pushed a stay strand of hair out of my face.

"Firstly, because your six month old daughter is less than ten feet away from us. Secondly, you're my boss. Lastly, you're still married," he said. It was my turn to sigh.

"Okay. You are also still married. There is only a policy against partners being romantically involved, and Iris has a nursery right down the hall," I offered, kissing his temple.

"Actually, Victoria filed for divorce. It settled right before Spencer 'divined' my relationship with Lucinda," Carlton said. I cupped his face in my hands, studying his sparkling blue eyes, underlined by nights of sleeplessness, and his scruffy start of a beard.

"I am sorry about that, Carlton. She was a wonderful woman and a good officer. And I had no idea about your divorce," I said, brushing my lips across his.

"I didn't want anyone to know. Nobody really would have cared," he whispered against my mouth, his fingers crawling to the hem of my shirt.

"I care," I said before closing the few centimeters between us. His warm mouth met mine; seamlessly completing something I never realized was missing. My hands found their way into his wavy black hair. His fingers traced circles under my shirt across my lower back. His hot cinnamon tongue ran along the contours of my lips, immediately gaining entrance. I lost my grip on Carlton's hair, letting my hands drift down to tug at his shirt until he got the picture. He yanked his shirt off, throwing it across the room. Our lips met again, but slower this time, and some how more passionately. I ran my fingers through the patch of fur on his chest, trying to get as close as humanly (and inhumanly) possible to him.

"Iris," he said breathlessly. I reluctantly untangled myself from him long enough to settle Iris down in the nursery. I all but launched myself at him when I returned.

"Have you always used cinnamon toothpaste?" Carlton asked, drawing back from a universe shattering kiss. I blushed.

"No," I admitted. He grinned, tugging my shirt up.

"Why'd you switch?" he asked, pulling the shirt over my head and brushing my hair over my shoulder. My arms instinctively covered the stretch marks on my stomach. He pulled my arms away, kissing each mark. "No. Don't cover up. You are beautiful."

"I switched because you're allergic to mint."

* * *

"You look gorgeous in the morning," Carlton said, his arm draped across my bare back, making lazy swirls. I was snuggled against his bare chest, drawing lines between the few freckles speckled there.

"Ditto," I said, stretching up to peck his lips. He really did. The sun filtering in from the blinds highlighted the specks of silver in his hair, as well as the flecks of green in his eyes. "I wish we could stay here all day."

As if on cue, the baby monitor went off. I sighed, and then sat up, the comforter falling down. I slid out of bed, pausing to pick Carlton's shirt up off the floor. I turned to see him staring at me.

"See something you like?" I teased. He grinned.

"Yeah, come back over here and I'll show you how much I like it," he said.

"As tempting as that is, Iris needs me," I said, pulling the oversized shirt on as Iris started crying. "I'm coming, baby."

I padded down the hall and walked into the nursery, where Iris was kicking in her crib.

"I know it, sweetie. Mommy's here. Don't cry," I said, changing her diaper and onesie. Then I walked with her back to my bedroom.

"Thank God," I said as I settled back into bed with Iris.

"What?" Carlton asked, kissing me lightly. Iris gurgled at him. He placed her on top of his chest. I scooted closer to him.

"I was afraid I would come back and last night would just have been a dream," I said, giggling as Iris pulled at his beard scruff.

"Me, too," he said, rubbing Iris' hand across his stubble. "Or that you changed your mind."

"Trust me, Carlton, there is no changing," I said, half laying on him. Iris touched his face and then mine.

"Do you love your mommy, Iris?" he asked, kissing her head.

"Ma-ma," she gurgled. I kissed her head.

"That's the first thing she's ever said," I said.

"Really?" Carlton asked. I nodded. "Wow. I honestly never thought I'd ever have anything to do with first words." I kissed him feverishly.

"You are too damn sweet," I whispered. He kissed me back.

"Mama!" Iris gurgled again, and I laughed.

"Can you say Carlton? Car?" I said to her, putting her tiny hand on Carlton.

"Mama!" she gurgled. Carlton smiled.

"You want your child to call me 'Car'?" he asked.

"I was thinking 'Car-Car' actually," I grinned, and then I heard my front door unlock, open, and close. "Shit. That's my mom. It's already noon."

"Does she come every Sunday?" he asked. I nodded. He was already out of bed, pulling his pants and button up on.

"You don't have to leave, Carlton. It's not like we're caught teenagers. I'm sure that she's already seen your jacket on the back of the couch and is setting three places at the table," I said, lying Iris on her back in the middle of the bed. I crossed to my dresser and pulled out a pair of jeans.

"It'll be awkward," he warned. I pulled the jeans on and collected Iris.

"If you say so," I said, holding my hand out to him, glad when he grasped it.

Now to listen to my mother say 'I told you so'.


	7. Chapter 7

**Basically some filler crap. Enjoy. Or not.**

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**Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah. I don't own **_**Psych**_**, blah blah blah.**

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"Go ahead and say it, Mom," I said, sitting on my couch cross legged, breastfeeding Iris. She looked up from the pair of so called 'socks' she was knitting. Carlton left at around five, after being questioned about everything from the second he was born to five minutes before he left.

"Say what, dear?" she asked.

"I told you so," I said, wiping excess milk from Iris' mouth before burping her.

"Why would I say that?" she asked again. I rolled my eyes.

"Carlton, Mom," I said.

"Oh, that. Yeah. I told you so," she said. "That man is in love with you."

"I doubt that, Mom," I said, the blush creeping up on my cheeks.

"Do you love him?" Mom asked. Now I was full on blushing. "Don't try to lie to me either, Karen. You and Barb are both terrible at it."

"I think… I think I might, Mom," I said, rocking Iris. "But I'm his boss. His _new _boss."

"All's fair in love and war, Karen," she said, putting her 'socks' down. She kissed my head, then Iris'. "I'll be back over here at eight tomorrow morning. I love you"

"I love you, too," I said, following her to the door and locking it behind her. I went upstairs, turning off the lights as I passed through rooms.

I laid Iris on my bed, getting a clean shirt out for her. I took off her onesie and blew raspberries all over her tiny stomach. Once she was in her little 'My Mommy's a Cop' shirt (given to me by, guess who, Carlton), I noticed Carlton's tee shirt hanging on the left bed post. I stripped off my clothes, pulling his shirt over my head. It smelt like sandalwood, but mixed with something else. Cologne. It smelt delectably of him. I climbed into my bed, wrapping my arms around Iris. His shirt felt like him, wrapped around me. It was second best, only to him actually being with me.

Yep. This might be love.

* * *

I strode into the police station, eager to see Carlton. But, he wasn't at his desk.

"O'Hara. Where is Detective Lassiter?" I asked, standing in front of her desk.

"He's down in Interrogation B. We arrested Walters on petty theft. I was just about to go down there, Chief," Juliet said, standing up. I nodded and followed her.

"What else have you gotten on him?" I asked, striding down the steps beside her.

"Well, he refuses to give us DNA and can't give us a solid alibi. Electrical ties were found in the back of his truck," she answered, stopping in front of Interrogation B.

Carlton was sweating. Walters obviously was a hard nut to crack.

"Switch out with him. He needs a break. Maybe you can crack Walters," I said. Juliet nodded, and walked into the interrogation room, holding the door open for Carlton to come out. He did, shutting the door behind him.

"Hey," he said, standing beside me. I leaned on his shoulder.

"Hi," I replied. We stood there for a moment, watching O'Hara lay it on thick to Walters.

"I'm sorry about yesterday," I said, feeling his hand wind down to intertwine with mine.

"About what, Karen?" he asked, experimentally squeezing my hand. I squeezed his hand back.

"About my mom. You know, being herself. Asking those questions," I said.

"It's fine. I would have told you, if you had asked. I'll tell you anything if you ask," he said. I turned to him, standing on my tiptoes, and wrapped my arms around his neck.

"Anything?" I asked, not caring who walked in or what they thought. He nodded. "Do you like me, Carlton? Or do you feel like that since I'm your boss, you have to…"

His lips pressed to mine, searing hot, and I was ready for him, right there on the table outside of the interrogation rooms. But, the door started to open. We jumped apart, straitening clothes and hair. Juliet emerged, ecstatic.

"Later," he whispered. I nodded.

"He agreed to some DNA testing, but still can't give a solid alibi," she said. Carlton gave her the slightest of smiles.

"Nice work, Detectives. Get forensics down here for testing, and meet me for autopsy reports on the three victims," I said, dreading the visit to Woody's self-proclaimed 'death igloo'. But I trudged up the steps and down the hall anyway.

* * *

"Hey, Chief. Here for the autopsy?" Woody asked, cleaning a long pair of tweezers. I nodded. We stood silently for a second. "You had a child not to long ago, right?"

"Yes," I said bluntly.

"Just what I thought. You have very nice child- birthing hips," he said. I stood there for a second, not sure what to say. A voice cleared behind me.

"Surely you don't want to be written up on sexual harassment, Woody," Carlton said, coming to stand beside me. Juliet came in a second later, and that was when I noticed it.

A pineapple mango smoothie.

"Mr. Spencer, you can come out now," I said loudly, and just as expected, Shawn and Guster emerged from the freezer. Guster looked especially scared.

"See, Gus? Dead bodies aren't that different from living," Spencer said, picking up his abandoned smoothie. Gus seemed to disagree. Carlton's hand brushed against mine, so lightly I wasn't sure if it was an accident or not. But then his hand brushed mine again, and I was sure.

"You're right, Shawn, except for the fact that they aren't living," Guster said. Spencer shrugged.

"I've heard it both ways," he said, turning to me. "And Chief, are you sure that you aren't the psychic one?" I smiled somewhat politely.

"_No, I'm not psychic, and I'm pretty sure you aren't either,_"I thought.

"What have you got for us, Woodster?" Shawn continued. Woody pulled the sheet back on Wager's body.

"Ms. Wager was the worst we found. There are several stab wounds, a few lacerations to the head, multiple bruises, and finally, the strangulation, which was determined the cause of death. She went through immense pain before it ended," Woody said, moving over the next table. "Ms. Simmons was relatively fine. Only the strangulation. The same with Ms. Sceney."

"So what do you think, Shawn?" Juliet said. He shrugged.

"I think that Mr. Walters is not your suspect. I think he was framed."


	8. Chapter 8

**Extreme T and slightly M. You have been warned that I suck writing M, so beware sucky writing.**

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**Disclaimer: I only own Karen's attitude, which I kinda just made up since we don't see her much.**

* * *

"So, Spencer is officially on the case?" Carlton asked as we sat alone in the conference room. I looked up from the report on Walters' last job at an electrical company. He hadn't shaved over the weekend, and he had a scruffy beard to prove it.

"Until I have plausible reason to kick him off of it," I said, trying so hard to ignore his hand, which had crept off of the chair where he sat beside me, and onto my knee.

"I think that should come fairly quickly," he said, still seemingly engrossed in his work. I picked the report back up, determined that two could play this game, until Juliet walked in. I expected Carlton's hand to jerk back, but instead, he kept it motionless on my knee. Juliet sat in front of us, and she picked up a report and started on it. I glared at Carlton.

"Move… Your… Hand…," I said slowly and quietly. And without skipping a beat, Carlton's hand moved up and down my leg from my knee to my inner thigh. Was Carlton Lassiter actually flirting?

"Walters had plenty of opportunity to get the ties, but how would he have gotten the women to the river? It's obvious they were killed there," he said, relentlessly stroking my leg. I tried not to squirm.

"Maybe Shawn's framed idea holds water?" Juliet asked, ignoring everything except the report.

"Maybe," I said, standing up. Carlton continued poring over reports. "Keep me updated." I walked out of the conference room and over to the coffee bar. Carlton appeared behind me.

"I'm sorry," he said, pouring coffee into my mug.

"For what?" I asked, accepting the sugar and cream he handed me.

"Being so… forward," he said, stirring cream into his coffee. I stopped and turned to face him.

"Carlton, for the past week, I have basically been throwing myself at you. I'm the one who should be apologizing," I said, stepping a little closer to him.

"I don't want you to apologize," he said, glancing at his watch. "It's past six. Would you like to have dinner with me tonight?"

" Yes. And then," I said, scanning the empty station. I stood on my tip- toes, and whispered into his ear. "Dessert."

* * *

"I never would have guessed you cooked, Carlton," I said, watching him move around his kitchen. I was settled into one of his barstools, sipping a glass of wine. He leaned on the counter.

"Takeout gets old fast, and it's not much, Karen, just vegetable soup," he said, taking the glass from my hand and taking a sip. I took the glass back, sipping from it. He leant farther over the counter and pressed his mouth to mine, and I eagerly allowed his tongue entrance. We broke apart, and Carlton came around the counter, meeting his lips to mine again. My legs hooked around his hips, my arms around his neck. He lifted me up slightly, sliding his hands under my ass. He picked me up and carried me into the living room.  
I was straddling him on his couch, frantically unbuttoning his shirt. He was kissing down my neck, sliding his hands under my shirt. Finally, I got the last damn button. I raked my fingers down his exposed chest, tangling them in his chest hair. He shimmied my shirt over my head, throwing it into a soon to be growing pile of clothes. I basically attacked his face, kissing everywhere, ending on his mouth. When we broke apart, I touched the stubbly beard that was starting on his chin.

"I really, really like this," I said, kissing him again. "Too bad the department policy won't let you keep it." My bra joined the clothes pile, followed by my pants and his shirt. I one-handedly fumbled with his belt, using my other hand to keep our faces together, just incase this was a dream. His hands were roaming, touching, exploring across my skin. I finally got the belt unbuckled, and went blindly to work on his pants button.

We were now equally unclothed. His pants joined the pile somewhere behind his couch. Carlton's fingers hooked around the elastic of my underwear, yanking them off.

"My mom is keeping Iris all night," I said breathily.

"Do you want to see what I can do with my beard?" he asked, flipping me onto my back on the couch.

"Dear God, yes."

* * *

"This is soup is good, Carlton," I said. We sat in his barstools, eating and talking. I had commandeered his button-up, pulling it on and rolling the sleeves up.

"Thank you, Karen," he said, brushing my hair behind my ear. I took our empty bowls and carried them to the sink. He appeared beside me, intent on not letting me wash dishes.

"I'm gonna do the damned dishes, Carlton," I said, crossing my arms and giving him my best "Chief Vick" glare. He started the water and poured in the dish soap.

"That stare isn't nearly as effective while you're standing in my kitchen naked, other than my shirt," he said, washing the first bowl. I laughed, and started rinsing the dishes.

Twenty minutes later, we were both wet and soapy, but the dishes were done (after a water fight with some spoons). We were sitting on his couch, or he was ,anyway. I was pretty much laying on top of him, my butt half way in his lap, my head on his chest. The Clint Eastwood movie to watch had been debated on greatly, but we ended up with _Pink Cadillac. _I looked up at Carlton, who was invested in the movie.

"In all of the time I've known you, before I was Chief, even, I never thought you could have looked any sexier than you do in your suits. But I was wrong," I said, staring into those deep blue pools. "This is it." He was barefoot and wearing a frayed police academy tee shirt with flannel pants.

"You're the most beautiful woman that I have ever seen, and has actually wanted to be with me," he said, kissing me. I sat up, now completely in his lap. He continued kissing me, and then we were standing, and then we were in his bedroom, and I was on his bed. Clothes were torn and tossed. A few buttons were popped off. I hadn't been this happy in a long, long time.

* * *

The moment I had been dreading. Six o'clock. I stayed snuggled against Carlton's bare chest, wishing the world away. I kept my eyes closed, but I knew that he was awake, looking at me.

"Are you gonna keep staring or kiss me like you want to?" I asked, my eyes still closed. The bed creaked, and his lips met mine. It was softer and gentler than last night, like a good bye kiss. Or a "welcome here forever" kiss. I was hoping the latter.

"You have to go soon, right?" he asked. I nodded.

"I really can't stay," I said softly. He caught on.

"But baby its cold outside," he whispered back.

"I need to use your shower, and borrow a shirt," I said sitting up. He swung out of bed, pulling a shirt and a pair of plaid boxers out of a dresser. Then he led me to his bathroom.

Soon we were standing under the warm downpour. He was soaping my back, kissing my neck every once in a while. Suddenly, he started tickling me.

"Carlton… stop!" I begged between giggles. Then I thought of how to stop him. I reached and wrapped my hand around his length. He almost immediately stopped. I ran my hand up and down a few times, and then started tickling him.

"Cheater!" he said, spinning me around. I stood on my tip toes and kissed him, throwing my arms around his shoulders.

"I wish we could do this everyday," I said. He looked at me in a mix of emotions. He opened his mouth. "Shh. I know its really soon to be saying stuff like this, but I mean what I say, Carlton. You don't have to say anything back." He nodded and kissed me again. I washed his hair, and he washed mine, commenting on how much he liked my hair.

"I'm thinking about cutting it. The bigger Iris gets, the more she likes to pull it. Your hair, however, I love," I said, kissing his head as we got out of the shower. I looked at myself in the mirror. Bruised lips, tired eyes, and shit-eating grin. Yeah, it was pretty obvious what I did last night. I pulled my bra on, followed by Carlton's shirt and boxers, then my pants. We couldn't locate my shirt or panties.  
I found Carlton frying eggs and bacon, already in his suit. I sat down, and we ate in silence.

"I'll see you at the station, Karen," he said at my car, leaning down to kiss me through the open window. I kissed him one last time before I had to leave.

* * *

"Don't ask, Momma," I said walking into my bedroom where my mother sat in the rocker.  
I had ultimately decided I didn't need to leave Carlton right away, which had resulted in a make out session, and almost car sex. My hair was disheveled, lipstick smeared.

"I don't need to. It's pretty obvious what happened," she said, now laying out a suit for me.

"Fill me in, then," I challenged, knowing she would get all but one thing right. I started to change. My mom sighed.

"Really, Karen, his boxers?" she asked. I stuck my tongue out. She basically told me exactly what happened last night.

"Yep. That's about right, Mom." I said, now completely dressed and make upped. I picked up a now awake Iris. "Hey, baby. You ready for some breakfast?"

"Mamamamamama," she gurgled. I smiled. Her dirty blonde short hair was mussed up. I carried her down stairs into the living room. My mother and I sat on the couch, talking while I fed Iris.

"I love him, Momma," I said, handing Iris to her as I went out the door.

"He loves you, too," she said.

* * *

**A/N: I really don't know what happened with this chapter. I've had serious writer's block, and this all of the sudden came out. Oh well. Review. Please.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello! Sorry for the lateness in updating, but I'm back now. No lame ass excuses. Also I'm sorry for this chapter, it kinda sucks. Any way, heeeeerreee's Lassie! **

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"I wish you could stay," I whispered to Carlton. He tightened his arms around me.

"I'll stay for as long as you'll let me," he whispered back. We were in my room, snuggled in bed after being in interrogation all day. Carlton had tried to cut him a plea bargain, but he insisted he was innocent.

"I always want you to stay," I breathed to him. His warm lips pressed against my cool forehead.

"Then I'll always be here," he said, then kissed me. His warm mouth moved against mine, and I felt like melting, even though I should have been used to it. Every time felt like the first. I moved up, deepening the kiss. His hands moved down from my waist to my ass. My finger tangled into his hair, keeping his mouth to mine. I threw my leg over his waist and moved to straddle him.

"Mmmm," he said after we broke apart. I raked my nails up and down his chest, grinding against him. And I was getting quite a response from his "cadet".

His hands were pulling at the hem of my, well, his, academy tee shirt. I helped him remove the shirt, leaving us in an equally unclothed state. His fingers explored across my chest, kneading here and pinching there. I arched against his touch. He hooked my underwear off with his thumb, moving me off of him to take them off. I straddled him again, feeling his hardness pressed against me.

"Detective Lassiter, is that a Glock in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?" I said, my voice low.

"Do you have any Irish in you, Karen?" He asked, pushing two fingers into me. I was only able to shake my head as he continued his ministrations. "Do you want some?"

I furiously nodded my head.

* * *

I grudgingly separated myself from his warm chest. I sat up, the blanket falling away. An arm snaked around my waist, pulling me down. Carlton flipped me on top of him, grinning.

"We have to leave soon," I said, kissing him between words. He groaned.

"Never have I ever complained about going to work, but I haven't ever had a reason like this," he said, kissing down my neck. I felt like melting.

"We really do need to get ready for work," I whispered. I rolled out of bed, my feet hitting the cold, hardwood floor. I walked across to my closet, pulling out a pantsuit. I turned to see Carlton staring at me, still in bed.

"See something you like, Detective?" I asked, laying the suit across the end of my bed. He pulled me down to kiss him.

"Hell yeah," he growled. I laughed, and started getting dressed. When I finished, he was still in bed. I took his suit from where he had hung it on the door knob of the bathroom, and laid it across him.

"Get up, lazy ass," I said, leaving when he finally sat up. I went into the bathroom, brushing my hair and teeth. He walked up behind me, dressed except for his tie. I turned, tying it for him. He leant down and kissed me.

"Are you doing anything for lunch?" he asked.

"No, I'm not," I said, going on my tip toes for another cinnamon flavored kiss.

"Wanna go to the beach with me later?" he asked. I nodded, kissing him again. "I better go."

"Okay," I said, kissing him again. I walked him to the door, pausing to wake Iris up. I kissed him one last time before opening the garage door and watching him drive off into the dark. "I love you."

* * *

"We got a confession, Chief," O'Hara said, dropping the file onto my desk. Carlton was behind her, nodding.

"Who confessed?" I asked, flipping through the file. Carlton grinned.

"Not Walters," he said. I smiled back.

"Who, then, Detective?" I asked.

"Howell," Juliet said.

"The deranged ex-girlfriend," I stated. Both detectives nodded. "Looks like I'll be writing Mr. Spencer a check after all. Good work, detectives." I stood up, following Juliet out of my office.

"I really, really need a cup of coffee," I said to myself, walking over to the coffee bar. Carlton appeared beside me, offering cream and sugar. I took it, thanking him.

"What do you say to an early lunch?" He asked. I checked my watch.

"It's already two-thirty," I said, sipping my coffee.

"Okay, what do you say to a late lunch?" He asked. I nodded and we walked out the door. "I'm driving."

* * *

Lunch ended with a walk on the beach. Even though he was a little more than paranoid, he did take my hand. We walked and talked about everything and nothing until he stopped.

"Crap on the ever loving damn cracker of my life," he said, quickly ducking us behind a large bush.

"What is it, Carlton?" I asked. He sighed.

"Spencer," he said simply. Then I heard him.

"I'm telling you Gus, I saw Lassie," the man child said. Guster sighed.

"It is none of our business if Lassie is at the beach," Gus said. They were getting closer.

"Oh my God, I think that he has a lady with him behind that bush," Spencer said, now pushing the bush aside. Carlton turned to face him, hiding me from sight.

"What the hell could you possibly want, Spencer?" He barked.

"It's pretty obvious you have a lady behind you, Lassie," Spencer said. Carlton's hand was on his gun. I stepped out from behind him. "Chief Mick!"

"It's Chief Vick, Shawn," Guster said.

"Tomato, oranges, Gus. What's going on here?" Shawn said, a smile oozing onto his face.

"Mr. Spencer, not that it's any of your goddamn business, Carlton and I are breaking no policies, we are both divorced, and before you go running your mouth to anyone down at the station, remember that I sign the occasional paycheck for you," I said, intertwining my fingers with Carlton's. Spencer's mouth opened, then closed. Guster looked ashamed of his friend.

"Yes ma'am," Gus said, then pulled Spencer off.

"I love you," Carlton said. My head snapped up to him. He smiled.

"I love you, too," I said, no hesitation. He leant down and kissed me, tongue exploring my mouth. We broke apart.

"Your place," I whispered. He nodded. We basically ran back to the Crown Vic. Soon we were in his his bed.

"I love you," he said again, kissing my head. I raised up off of his chest, kissing him hungrily.

"I love you, too," I said, laying back on his chest, content. For now.


	10. Chapter 10

**Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Get to a different part of Fan Fiction if you don't like it. Be my guest. Any who, if anyone is still reading, this is some filler. Enjoy. P.s. set in the time frame between season one ending and two beginning.**

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**I don't own ****_Psych._**** If I did, there would be infinite seasons.**

* * *

"Spencer, here is your check, get the hell out of my station until you are called in," I said, handing the envelope over to the pineapple loving 'psychic'.

"Chief Nick, I have a question," he said, opening the envelope.

"It's Vick, Shawn," Guster said, taking the check out of his hands. Spencer shrugged. I sighed.

"What, Mr. Spencer?" I asked, sitting on the corner of my desk. He grinned.

"Is Lassie good in," he started. I cut him off. Gus looked ashamed.

"First, his name is Lassiter. Carlton Lassiter. Secondly, it is none of your goddamn business. Thirdly, before you open your mouth again, I do still carry a weapon, Mr. Spencer. Now get out of my damn station before I arrest you for fraud. Several counts, actually," I said, watching his face twitch. "Anymore questions?"

"No," he said, moving towards the door. Guster went after him, then dragged him out of the station before he drifted over to Carlton. I got up, checking the time. Two-thirty. Still another hour before I could take another Tylenol. The 'psychic' and his sidekick had been here most of the morning, bothering my detectives about the case that had been wrapped. The so called 'Toasted' case. O'Hara was still shaken up, but refused to take time off. Carlton was rubbing off on her.

"Lassiter, O'Hara, my office," I called. O'Hara appeared quickly, but Carlton was dragging his feet. When he finally approached my desk, he was pissed off.

"Yes, Chief?" O'Hara asked, grasping a chair, her knuckles white.

"Go home, Detective. You almost had your head cut off yesterday. Rest," I said, concerned seeing the dark circles under the young detective's eyes. She shook her head.

"I'm fine, Chief. Just gotta get back to work," she said, rubbing her eyes. I touched her arm.

"Juliet, go home," I said, not as Chief Vick, but as Karen. This time she nodded, leaving and collecting her things. Carlton turned. "Not you. Shut the door." I walked around my desk and sat in my chair, kicking my pumps off.

Carlton shut the door and pulled the shades.

"Did I upset you?" he asked, stepping up to my desk.

" Upset me?" I replied, now thoroughly confused. He's pissed because he thinks he upset me?

"Insult you. Demean you in some way that I did not comprehend?" He asked again. His hair was mussed from no doubt a sleepless night.

"Detective, I am pretty sure I have no idea what you're talking about," I said, leaning on the palm of my hand.

"The woman. The crazy woman. The half-deaf, litigating nightmare express of a detective? Why would you put me, of all people, with her? I am head detective," he said, running a hand through his hair. Oh, he was sexy. And upset. Right, Goochberg.

"Honestly, detective, I thought you two would hit it off," I said, staring into his bright blue orbs.

"Why would you possibly think that?" he asked, placing both palms on my desk.

"Well she kind of reminds me of you. You know, a few years down the road. Similar interests, outlooks. Everyone thought it was a pretty good idea," I said, lying for the first time to him. I didn't want him to turn into Goochberg. Determined, yes, but throwing his whole life away for work? Absolutely not.

" That's how people perceive me?" he asked, his ego shrinking.

"We're all a little surprised that it didn't work out, Carlton," I said, standing. I wrapped my arms around his waist, my head coming to his chin. His arms encircled me, and he rested his head on top of mine. We stood there for a moment, then I pulled his chin down to meet my lips half way. His tongue traced my lips, slipping against mine. I pulled him closer to me, deepening the kiss.

"We're at work, Karen," he whispered. I kissed him lightly.

"Then get to it. I love you," I said, separating myself from him. He stepped to the door.

"I love you, too."

* * *

Iris lay on my stomach, everything but still. She was getting bigger everyday. She kicked around and babbled. I was laying on my bed, feet on the pillow, with my mother next to me.

"How's Carlton?" she asked. I smiled.

"He's fine," I said. She grinned.

"I'll say he's fine. That man... If you don't do something with him, I will," she said. I laughed.

"Momma!" I said. She just rolled over. "He told me he loved me." She looked up at me.

"And?" She asked. I sat up with Iris who was beginning to cry. I pulled my blouse up to feed her.

"And what, Mom? He said he loved me. I told him I loved him, too. He kissed me, we went back to work. After a little while," I said, stretching the truth. A lot. We did go back to work. But it was a while before we did. And, oh,we did.

"Have you heard from David?" She suddenly asked. I nodded.

"We spoke two Wednesdays ago, at court. Custody," I said. She nodded. "He doesn't want any overnighters with her until she's two. When she turns five he'll get her every other weekend. After she's fourteen, she can decide." Mom nodded.

"Seems reasonable, enough anyway," she said, taking my baby from me and burping her. She handed Iris back, and wrapped her arms around me.

"Him and Courtney are getting married next month. He wants me to bring Iris," I said, my eyes watering. My mother pulled me into her, and I broke down on her shoulder.

"He is such an asshole! He has been trying to make me feel like it was all my damn fault that our marriage fell apart. Bastard! For the last three months I was pregnant he was screwing around with that piece of white trash, and who knows how long before with God knows how many other whores! Then he doesn't want Iris, and all of the sudden he does!" I almost shouted. Momma just rocked Iris and I, humming softly. "You were right. I should have waited longer before I got married. 'College sweethearts' my ass."

"I wish I could take all of your heartache, honey, but you did get two wonderful things out of this mess," she said. I looked up at her and she wiped my eyes. "Could you have gone without Iris or Carlton for David?" I shook my head.

"Is this a bad time?" a very, very welcome voice asked from the door. My mother waved the owner of the voice over. Her arms were replaced by Carlton's. He kissed my head, continuing the rocking motion my mother had started. Momma kissed my fore head, saying good night. When she was gone, I turned my head to look up at Carlton.

"How'd you get in?" I asked. He shrugged.

"I heard shouting. I took the spare key off of the door frame. Punched in the security code. By the way, Iris' birthday? Really? That's too easy, Karen. Came up here, and saw you crying," he answered, wiping a stray tear away with the pad of his thumb. I kissed his cheek.

"I love you, Carlton," I whispered, laying back against him. He lay down, pulling me with him. I cradled a sleeping Iris in one arm, holding the hand Carlton draped over me with the other. He pulled the blankets over the three of us, spooning me.

"I love you too," he said, then whispered something I didn't quite catch, but sounded like "always".

I fell asleep in the middle of that huge bed with two of the most important people in my life.


	11. Chapter 11

**Hello people of this small group. I am back with a new chapter. I have deleted chapters 11 and 12 due to a huge ass mistake on my part. I am going to yet again apologize to Loafer and Lawson227. I never meant to make this mistake. Huge mistake. Anyway, I will not stop writing due to rude comments, so leave them if you want. That just makes me think you do like them, and are trying to be dumb asses. :) Have a nice freakin' day.**

* * *

**I don't own _Psych_, blah blah blah.**

* * *

"Good morning, beautiful," Carlton breathed next to my ear. I turned my head over to kiss him. And I did. Iris pulled at my shirt, climbing onto me.

"Hey, baby. And you, too, Carlton," I said, kissing his lips again lightly.

"Mama!" Iris cried, putting her palms on my forehead. Carlton looked at me.

"You have a very smart daughter," he said, and he held his arms out to her. She crawled over me and onto Carlton's chest. She hit his head.

"Can you say Carlton, Iris?" I asked in my momma voice. "Carlton?" I reached over and hit his head.

"Ow," he breathed. Iris hit him again.

"Caca!" she said excitedly, hitting him again and again, repeating it. I stifled a laugh.

"Caca? Really, Iris?" he said, kissing her head.

"Mama!" She said, and crawled back on me.

"Well, that didn't last long," I said, kissing my baby's head.

"That's what she said," Carlton said. I stared at him. He went there.

"I've never said that," I whispered. He groaned slightly. "We need to get up."  
He nodded, and sat up.

"I guess I should go home and get ready for work," Carlton said. I sat up, and climbed out of bed with Iris.

"I think you have a suit in my closet, and I know you have tee shirts and boxers in my drawer," I said, kissing his shoulder as I passed him to take Iris downstairs. "Stay for breakfast."

When I got to the bottom of the stairs, I heard the shower turn on, and I smiled to myself.

I put Iris in her high chair before getting the strawberry baby food out. I sat in front of her and fed her half of the jar. Iris babbled and ate the mushy stuff. She had gotten to where she tried to stand by herself. She was able to pull up in her crib, and loved for people to bounce her.

"What's for breakfast?" Carlton asked, appearing suddenly.

"We have cereal or I can make you eggs," I said. He shook his head.

"I'll make it. You feed her," he said, starting to go around my kitchen to collect the items to make his eggs.

I unbuttoned the top few buttons of my shirt (actually one of Carlton's that I slept in), unsnapped the front of my bra, and started feeding Iris.  
Carlton sat two plates of eggs on the table, followed by two glasses of orange juice. I smiled at him.

"I love you," I said, taking the fork he offered. He grinned back.

"I love you more," he said, sitting beside me. We ate in a comfortable silence until seven-thirty. Carlton took Iris so I could shower and get dressed for work.  
I went back downstairs twenty minutes later, dressed in a black pant suit, my shoulder length hair somewhat straightened. I took Iris, who Carlton had helpfully dressed, and the three of us made our way outside.

I put Iris in her car seat, then turned to Carlton. He leaned against my car, and I pulled him down by his tie to kiss me. Not that it took much pulling.

"I'll see you in a few minutes," he said, kissing me again. I opened the garage door as he got in his car.

"Be careful," I said. He nodded and backed out of the drive and down the street. I got into my car, and backed out, closing the garage behind me.

* * *

"Just remember that it's Friday, Karen," I said to myself. I looked up from the extensive amount of paperwork on my desk to see O'Hara making her way to her desk. It was almost ten thirty, but she wasn't supposed to be here.

"O'Hara, Lassiter," I called, and they came in, O'Hara's shoulders drooping.

"O'Hara, you should be at home," I said. She frowned.

"I want to work, Chief," she said.

"Have you talked to the department psychologist?" I asked. She nodded. "Did he clear you for work?"

"He told her to take a few days off," Carlton said, shrugging when Juliet hit him.

"Go home, Juliet. Really relax. You are a damn good cop. Both of you are. So, go home, play with your cats. You have cats, right?" I asked. She nodded.

"Okay, Chief. I'll get my stuff and go," she said.

"Do you want to get some coffee before you go home?" Carlton asked her. She nodded again, then left. Carlton closed the door, then came over to me.

"I'm worried about her," he said.

"I am, too," I said. He leant down and captured my lips. My hands slid into his hair, eyes closed.

Neither of us heard the door open.

"I love you," I said.

"I love you, too," he said, kissing me lightly again.

"Oh my God," Juliet said and then the door shut.

* * *

**A/N: I know, it's short.**


	12. Chapter 12

**This is basically me trying to find a way to wrap this before there are a million chapters. It is short, and I'm not the best writer. If you're looking for fantastic writing, go look at Loafer, Lawson227, and/or ****dragonmactir for your Lassiet/Karlton needs. Or just read them. Period. Oh well, here's the newest chapter.**

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**I don't own** _**Psych**._

* * *

I buried my headdeeper into my hands. Juliet's face was morphed into disbelief and slight horror. We were sitting in a Starbucks. Why did I agree to come? Oh, yeah, because we were doing something we shouldn't have been doing somewhere we shouldn't have been doing it.

"You guys are together?" O'Hara's question came off in surprise.

"Look, O'Hara, not that's any of your goddamn business, but yes. I love Karen. I love her and her daughter. I know that I have almost ruined two careers, but not this time," Carlton said. I took his hand in one of mine and laced our fingers.

"We aren't breaking any department rules. And I don't show favoritism. Especially to Carlton," I said, nudging his shoulder. He shook his head.

"How long has this been going on?" Juliet asked after a minute. I thought about it.

"About a month. God, it feels like longer than that," Carlton said, squeezing my hand. It was true, it felt like we had been together for years.

"But," Juliet started, "you've written him up six times for pulling his gun since then." I nodded.

"Four of which were completely justified," Carlton added.

"Children throwing rocks at the side walk isn't a felony, Carlton; it's Hopscotch," I said, rolling my eyes. "And yes, Juliet, no favoritism." I took a sip from my coffee. Juliet appeared deep in thought.

"Carlton, you are the best partner I've ever had, and I just don't want you two to get in to trouble. If you ended up getting fired or transferred, I would quit," she said quietly. I smiled.

"That won't be necessary, O'Hara. Like I said, we aren't breaking any rules," Carlton said.

"Okay. Just," Juliet sighed. "Just know what you're doing, and where you're doing it. Please. Imagine if I had been Buzz, Carlton." I could see him wince ever so slightly.

A few moments later, we all stood up to leave. I was climbing into the passenger side of the Crown Vic, when O'Hara stopped me.

"Chief, would it be okay if I came by to see Iris?" she asked timidly. I smiled.

"Absolutely. How's seven?" I asked, buckling myself in.

* * *

"Thank you, Momma. I honestly don't know what I'd do without you," I said, hugging my mother. She hugged me back, then held me at arms length.

"You would be fine. You would still have Carlton and Iris," she said, letting go and moving to the bowl of cake batter she was stirring. She ran a finger around the bowl, and fed it to Iris, who was in her bouncer on the counter top.

"Don't feed her that," I said lightly. Momma shook her head at me.

"So is Carlton coming here tonight?" she asked. I nodded.

"And O'Hara," I added. It was her turn to nod.

"So three plates?" She asked. I shook my head.

"Four. You're staying," I said. "Just, please keep your curiosity under control."

"Where do you think you got yours from, honey?" she asked sarcastically. I shrugged.

"From you. I assumed the annoyingness and the dry sense of humor was from Dad," I said, bouncing my babbling baby. My mother's shoulders tensed up at my father's mention.

"How much can you remember about him?" she asked, pouring batter three round pans.

"I remember my seventh birthday, and he was home on extended leave. Um… you kept it a secret from me and Barb. We cried when he came into the house. I remember Barb graduating high school, and he surprised us again. And I remember that rainy day. Barb was seventeen, fresh out of school. I was eleven. We came home from the beach because it had started raining," I paused, not really wanting to go on, but I did. "And you were just standing in the rain, holding his dog tags. Then the next thing I remember, Barb is holding me, and you're holding us, and two of his friends were handing you his flag."

"You have a surprisingly good memory for twenty- one years ago," Momma said, putting the pans in the oven. "Why don't you take Iris upstairs? She's almost asleep and needs a new diaper." I nodded, seeing the tears under her eyes.

I trudged up the stairs with my sleeping baby, suddenly wishing for a nap. I checked the time. Six o'clock. I had enough time for a quick nap.

I changed Iris' diaper, and laid down on my bed with her, pulling a white and maroon afghan over us.

Just a short nap.

* * *

Just a short nap.

Just a short nap, my ass.

I slept until six forty- five.

I crawled out of bed, and heard a chuckle from the rocking chair by Iris' crib.

"I was wondering if you were gonna get up or if I was gonna have to call O'Hara and cancel," Carlton said, walking to my bed and picking Iris up. He kissed me lightly, then turned to leave. "Hurry up. Dinner's almost ready and O'Hara is ten minutes from here."

Once he left for downstairs, I scrambled around, brushing my hair while pulling on jeans.

"This would be so much easier if I had shorter hair!" I grumbled to myself, throwing on a SBPD softball shirt. I washed the makeup off of my face, and then I re-applied it. I practically ran out of my room and padded down the stairs barefoot. I made it to the front door right before Juliet rang the door bell, with just enough time to slip on my shoes. I opened the door.

"Hello, Juliet," I said, moving to let her in. "Sorry for the…" I started, but dropped off. Apparently Carlton took it upon himself to pick up Iris' toys.

"Hey, Chief," Juliet said, walking in. "You have a fantastic house."

"Thank you, and out of work, unless you're Spencer, it's Karen," I said, leading her to the kitchen, where Carlton and my mother were. This might actually have been a normal night.

When we got there, however, Carlton was covered in icing, Iris was laughing, and my mother was acting as if nothing was going on in her little world.

"This should be an interesting night."


	13. Chapter 13

**Well, if all goes as planned, one more chapter. Just one. And then I promised not to bother you again. Until I have another idea. Tata por now.**

* * *

****"I can't leave you two alone for ten minutes without something happening," I sighed. Juliet laughed. I picked up Iris from her bouncer, wiping the icing off of her face. "I also asked you not to give her icing." My mom looked up, looking surprised.

"Oh,my. What happened?" she asked.

"What do you mean 'what happened'?" I asked in returned, helping Carlton clean his face. He looked embarrassed.

"I was just telling Carlton about the time you and Barb helped me make a cake for your grandmother when she came up from Texas. Remember? Barb dumped the cake on your head because you cut her Barbie's hair," she said almost dreamily.

"This isn't gonna come out of your shirt, unless I wash it now," I took Carlton's hand. I turned to O'Hara, who was watching the scene with interest. "I'm really sorry, Juliet. Please make yourself at home. I'm gonna have to go upstairs and bathe Iris."

"It's fine, Chief, er, Karen. This has already been an interesting evening already."

* * *

Iris loved baths. Really liked them. I let her splash in her baby tub for a few minutes. The shower behind me kicked off, and Carlton emerged with a towel around his waist. He kissed my head lightly.

"I love you," he said. His voice saying those three words still gave me shivers.

"I love you, too. Did you get the icing out of your hair?" I asked. He nodded, running a hand through his wet locks.

"Yeah. Do I still have sweat pants here?" he asked, dropping the towel and tugging on boxers. He walked into my bedroom.

"Did I ever give them back?"

"No."

"Then they're in my top drawer," I said, taking Iris from the tub and swaddling her in a towel. "Come on, sweetheart."

I walked past Carlton, who was looking for a shirt (I had about five of his to choose from), and took out the 'My Mommy's a Cop' onesie to dress Iris. I took her downstairs to find Juliet and my mother in the living room, laughing. I stopped in the now spotless kitchen. Shaking my head, I continued to where my mother was laughing.

"And then, I just stood there with the ring in my hand, covered in red paint, in front of Paul McCartney! I was only a background character, but still. Oh, Karen and Iris are back," Mom said. I looked at her for a second.

"Mom, firstly, you were not in that movie. Secondly, you've never been to England," I said, sitting down with Iris in my lap.

"I've heard it both ways," she said. Juliet looked at her for a moment.

"Did she just say…?" Juliet asked. I nodded. "Has she ever met him?" I shook my head. "Can I hold Iris?"

"Sure," I said, passing my baby over to her. Juliet cooed at her.

"I love this onesie," she said. I smiled.

"Carlton gave her that one," I said. Almost immediately, Carlton was sitting beside me with an arm around my shoulder. I nearly jumped.

"Do you have some kind of sixth sense for when someone says your name?" I asked, relaxing my self against him.

"Only you," he said, watching Juliet with Iris. I laid my head against his shoulder. Momma winked at me.

"So, dinner is ready when you are," she said to no one in particular.

* * *

"That was fantastic, Ms. Dunlap," Juliet said. We were all back in the living room.

"It really was, Mom," I said, cradling my sleeping baby.

"I'm glad you all enjoyed it. I need to run on home, though, before I miss _the Office_," Momma said. She kissed everyone's forehead and said goodbye.

"So, when are you going to tell the station?" Juliet asked. Carlton sat up a little straighter.

"Why would we tell anyone? We aren't breaking rules," he said, pulling his arm from around me.

"Well, every interdepartmental relationship has to be filed, right?" she asked. A light blush crept onto her face.

"She right," I said. He looked at me. "Whether we're breaking rules or not, it has to be filed."

Nobody spoke about this again. We chatted until Juliet had to leave.

"Be careful, O'Hara," Carlton called after her as she went out the door. We went upstairs and I put Iris to bed. I flopped onto my bed beside Carlton, laying my head on his stomach.

"So, David and Courtney are getting married in a couple of months," I said. Carlton looked down at me. "And he wants me to bring Iris. I already said I would."

"Okay," Carlton said, his fingers drifting across my scalp.

"Pretty please with a Glock onto top come with me?" I asked childishly. He laughed.

Okay, but only for the Glock," he said, earning himself a punch. "You know, you are so beautiful that those don't even hurt." I kissed his cheek.

"Stay with me?" I asked needlessly. He already had his shirt off and was under the covers. I joined him, tracing his muscles and light scars from being on the force.

"Always."


	14. Chapter 14

**Final chap for this ship. I'm done. If you wanna, check out my instagram. Details for that on my bio. Anyway, here's the last installment.**

* * *

_One Year Later_

* * *

_"I'm going in, Chief."_

"No! Detective, you wait for back up!"

_"If I don't go now, he'll get away. I'll talk_

_ to you when I've got him."_

"Carlton! That was an order, not a suggestion!" I barked, but the other end was static. I flung my headset off in frustration. He was going to get himself killed.

I stalked out of the van being used for surveillance. I grabbed Buzz out of a conversation with Dobson.

"McNab, find O'Hara, get her wired. Dobson, I want you in the van. You're taking over the op," I said, walking briskly.

"Why, Chief?" he asked, trying to keep my pace.

"Cause I'm going in. Any other questions?" I said, climbing into the van behind him. O'Hara was getting wired.

"What's going on, Chief?" She asked worriedly.

"Carlton's stubbornness. We are going in after him," I said. I took my suit jacket off and pulled on a holster hanging on the wall. I holstered my .9 millimeter and Dobson's Glock. I put my jacket back on.

"Chief, when you say we, you mean me and you?" Juliet asked. I looked at her.

"No, O'Hara, I'm gonna send in McNab and a potato. Yes, me and you. God, when I see Carlton, I'm gonna kick his ass," I said, turning to Dobson. "Okay, Dobson. Me and O'Hara are going in to back up Carlton. We'll keep you updated. We had control on the cameras inside the building, but the damn gang cut the wires."

O'Hara and I got out of the van, and started walking down the street to the building the perps were hiding out in.

"They're hiding in a warehouse?" O'Hara asked.

"This building is owned by Greg Paschovez. He has a rap sheet longer than my arm and is the leader of the Cortar Reyes gang. A couple of years ago, Carlton had him, but the DA let him go on a formality. So I understand why he would rush in there, but without back up! Is he stupid?" I said. I was worrying myself. He was probably fine, just trying to radio back up.

"Chief, I think you may need to sit this one out," O'Hara said carefully.

"And why is that?" I asked, continuing my stride.

"This is too personal for you," she said, then gestured to her mic. Half of the department could hear us.

"He's one of my best detectives. I'll be damned if I'm not going to back him up," I said passively. We walked in silence for a minute. We were quickly approaching the warehouse.

"How's Iris?" She asked. I smiled.

"She'll be two in August. She's growing up fast. She called him daddy the other night," I said. Juliet smiled.

"How'd he feel about that?" she asked. I half shrugged.

"He freaked out for a minute, but then calmed down. She calls David dad. Not daddy. Just dad. But Courtney decided that they are gonna move to Illinois, so, it looks like I'm going to have custody for a while," I said, then put my finger to my lip. We were at the warehouse.

"I'll take the lead," I said, and O'Hara nodded. I drew my .9 millimeter, hitting the safety button off. "We're going in, Dobson. If I cough more than twice in a row, I want reinforcements in here faster than you can punch Spencer in the face."

I opened the door cautiously, clearing the room quickly. O'Hara cleared a closet in the corner. We moved through the next two rooms with no problems. When we opened the door into the fourth room, though…

The first thing I saw was two unconscious bodies. And a man standing over them. Carlton.

"The room is clear," he called. I ran to check one of the men.

"He's alive," I said. O'Hara nodded.

"This one, too," she said. I looked at the man I had checked the pulse of.

"Well, hello, Mr. Paschovez," I said. I spoke into my mic. "Send in a couple of uniforms, Dobson. We've got two unconscious," Carlton shook his head and raised four fingers. "Scratch that, we have four unconscious."

"Yes, ma'am," he said.

Moments later, we were outside. Carlton took me aside.

"Why are you not talking to me," he asked. I looked up into his eyes.

"Because I thought I had lost you," I said.

"I'm fine, Karen," he said.

"I know, Carlton, but goddammit! Why couldn't you wait for back up?" I asked.

"They would have been gone," he answered.

"And what if you had been killed? Don't answer that, I tell you. You would have died thinking you had done right. You would have left a little girl that loves you to death. Believe it or not, Carlton, people care about you. O'Hara, McNab, Dobson, even Spencer cares about you. I love you. Did you forget that?" I said. A few officers were looking at us.

"How could I possibly forget that you are the love of my existence? I love you so much. I love your daughter. On occasion, I've called her ours. I was only thinking of getting that bastard behind bars. And now that he's going to be, I feel Iris is a lot safer," he said. I threw my arms around his neck. Almost everyone was looking at us.

"Marry me," he whispered. I pulled back to see he had a ring.

"Yes," I whispered back. He slid the ring on my left hand. People started clapping. Half heartedly I said "Get back to work."

"I love you," he said.

"I love you, too," I said.

Carlton kissed me lightly, then walked to his Crown Vic with O'Hara.

"And, Lassiter?" I called after him. He turned around. "Next time you don't follow orders, you're on suspension." He grinned.

"Yes, ma'am, Chief."


End file.
